


Recurve

by charbax



Series: Recurve [1]
Category: Paladins: Champions Of The Realm (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, First Dates, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Secret Identity, author liberties, bc i never worked in a coffeeshop im a retail assistant for gods sakes, hell im just putting all my aus into one spot arent i, i have no idea where this story is going tbh, mal'damba is a villain here but hes not villainous trust me, recurve au, with a spribking of flowershop au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-29 15:15:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15732036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charbax/pseuds/charbax
Summary: In a city full of supers and their antics, Lex tries his damned best to keep some semblence of order around. Luckily, the cute server at his favourite coffeeshop is a welcome distraction from the endless work. But there are some secrets more than what's underneath the costume, some closer than he thought. Modern superhero AU inspired by the ingame skins. Sha Lex schmoopy goodness.





	1. Evie voice: and so it begins

**Author's Note:**

> So I’ve been meaning to write Sha-Lex, and I’ve been meaning to write something about modern superhero AUs. Here I go. Hoorah. I'll be uploading the chapters I've finished thus far then update it when the stars aligned, knowing my schedule;;;

Lex loves his job, he really does. One of his most treasured possessions include his badge and his graduation certification from the academy.

But then there’s other times when he wants to turn in that very badge, just like right now.

“If you please, Mr…?”

“I am known as the Desert Wind.” The ridiculously costumed person says. “Like the movie, y’know, gone like the wind?”

_‘Gone with the Wind’_ Lex corrects in his mind. “…Mr Desert Wind. Thank you for assisting with the arrest, but the police will take over from here. If you could  _please_  stand aside and let us do our jobs.”

“You’re underestimating the perp! He’s got snakes, spirits,  _voodoo magic-_ “

“He’s also inside a police car in handcuffs. His cobra is being cared for by a trained veterinarian away from him. I doubt there would be much he can do in his position.”

Just as Lex says that, there are screams of the otherworldly kind, followed by screams of the living kind, and what sounded suspiciously like a locked police car door being blasted open.

The vigilante immediately races off after the escaped spirit medium and his freed snake, along with some of the police officers, while Lex sighs and checks on the possibly scarred vet.

By the time he finishes looking her over – luckily, it’s a non-lethal bite and easily treated by the paramedics on the scene – both the thief and the Desert Wind were gone.

Indeed, it’s one of ‘those’ nights.

* * *

Because he’s a masochist, Lex has a double shift just after finishing his night shift. He’s allowed a short respite to go home for a shower and change of clothes before returning to clean-up the mess left by the thief and the vigilante in their battle. There are reports to fill, company feathers to smooth over, civilians to reassure, and thinking about it all is giving Lex a migraine. His shower passes in a kaleidoscope of colours and blurs, but he just pops his medication and he’s ready for the day.

Although, seeing as it was a long shift, and he hasn’t had breakfast yet, he figures he deserves a treat.

So at 6am, on the dot, he knocks on the door of his favourite coffee shop and waits patiently. There’s shuffling, then someone opens the door, blinking blearily at Lex. “Hey Lex.” Sha Lin says, breaking off into a yawn. “Espresso machines aren’t warmed up yet. Come in, make yourself comfy, someone’ll come by in a sec.”

Lex nods, stepping into the warmth and overpowering aroma of coffee. He finds a seat next to the window, watching as the city slowly comes to life in the dim morning light. The baristas too are awakening slowly, judging by the bustle of movement and machines at the counter. He’s grateful for the short respite, because it gives him ample time to gather his thoughts. Specifically, on the new superhero that appeared last night, like a particularly garish comet.

He hates to admit it, but the anti-hero’s timing was impeccable: the villain of the night had been stealing artefacts from city’s museum, which normally wouldn’t be a problem for the police force if it weren’t for the fact that it was a super villain they had been wrestling with for a while, code-name Wekono’s Chosen. Police were trained in shootouts and burglaries, not spirits and snakes, but it didn’t seem to be a problem for the vigiliante and his arrows. Lex came upon the scene when the Desert Wind was pulling the arrows pinning (pinning!) the snake charmer to the brick wall, then helped handle the criminal all the way to the car.

Lex couldn’t even get his civilian ID. Unlike what the movies suggest, there is a whole protocol with police force/superhero that Lex is happy to follow, if the man just  _listened to him_.

He sighs, the invisible band around his head tightening yet again. He’s broken out of his reverie when someone places a plate of egg and toast - sunny-side up- and a cup of black coffee, just the way he prefers it. “Oh. Thank you.” He says, looking up at the server.

Sha Lin beams. “No problem. The coffee’s on the house. Not the toast though. Sorry.” He smiles apologetically at Lex a moment, then returns to the counter where a steady line of customers are already lining up.

The corners of Lex’s mouth pull into an almost smile as he gazes at Sha Lin. So maybe the morning isn’t so bad after all.


	2. this is a hot chapter. its like a normal chapter but with fernando in it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now featuring some salsaknight bc how could i not

Another night, another scene.

“ _Hola_ , officer.”

Even before Lex turned around, he knows that voice from anywhere, and so, musters every ounce of patience he has. “Fernando.” He greets simply.

The firefighter is smiling, despite the ash on his face. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“Funny you should say that. Don’t you have an ambulance vehicle to be in?”

“But how would I be able to talk to you then?”

Lex’s lips thin. Although, seeing that the firefighter is here…

“Actually,” Lex begins, fishing a pen and notebook from his breastpocket. “We can talk about what happened before the police came upon the scene. Are you willing to give a statement?”

Fernando pouts, but straightens up anyway. “Well, we were responding to a call as we always do – about an explosion downtown – and I entered the building to look for survivors. I carried the first person I saw out of the rubble, but in my defence, I didn’t realise it was him.”

Lex frowns. “Didn’t realise it was…?”

“That supervillain, Wekono’s Chosen I believe?”

Lex shrugs. “I can understand. You were doing your duty. But was he conscious?”

“Yes, conscious enough to start complaining about how I was carrying him. Bridal style, if you must know.”

Lex didn’t.

“When I got outside, he… _deslizado_?” Fernando pauses, making a face. “Slid? Oh, slithered! Anyway, before I could blink, he slithered away and I lost sight of him.”

Lex tries to keep the disappointment out of his face as moves on. “Thank you anyway. Any information is beneficial than none.”

He jots down more mundane details, such as the firefighter’s his relation to the incident (obvious, but for documentation purposes, Lex has to record it), and any possible evidences moved in the scene, before he asks one last question:

“Did the Desert Wind appear before or during this operation?”

Fernando scratches his soot-ridden cheek. “I think I  _did_  see someone on the rooftops, but when I looked back, they were gone. He actually looked kind of cute, if primary colours was your thing.”

Lex chooses not to comment on that. “Please continue working with law enforcement to wrap this situation as smoothly as possible.”

Still, Lex can’t help but glance at where the Desert Wind was reported.

* * *

“Long time no see  _amigo_.”

In that moment, a shiver of déjà vu wracks through Lex when he hears that voice. Fernando parks himself in the seat opposite of the off-duty officer, who was happily minding his own business with a lunch break of coffee. “But we just saw each other last night.”

“And you didn’t even leave a note.”

Lex rolls his eyes. “I’m not in the mood Fernando.”

“Aw.” The semi-flirtatious grin is wiped away, sending another wave of familiarity through Lex. Sha Lin breezes by, giving Fernando a sunny smile, and just like that, Fernando perks up yet again.

Sha Lin readies his notepad. “Hello my friend! What can I get you?”

“You.” Fernando answers with a wink. Sha Lin laughs as Lex sips on his coffee and steadfastly ignores the display before him.

Then, surprisingly, Sha Lin says, “I’m off the menu, Fern. Do you want anything else?” and his eyes flicker to Lex for the barest moment. Fernando follows the movement as well, and there is an almost minute raise of his eyebrow.

“No thanks. In fact, I was just…leaving.” He says.

“But didn’t you just-” Lex begins, but Fernando has already left his barely warmed seat and is out the door before Lex could finish “…arrive?”

“Huh.” Sha Lin says, staring at the doorway with a twin expression of Lex. Then he shrugs and turns back to Lex. “Oh well. How about you? Do you want anything else?”

He beams, and Lex temporarily forgets how to speak. His mouth suddenly dries. 

“A date.” The words come unbidden out of his mouth. Lex’s eyes widen, but the damage is done; Sha Lin’s eyes are also widening in surprise. Lex starts to backtract. “You’re not underneath any obligation to accept it, I admit that was a tad hasty-”

“Sure.”

“What.”

If Lex thought Sha Lin’s smile was bright before, he stands corrected. Sha Lin’s whole face seems to be _glowing_. “I’m game. Is seven tonight ok?”

Lex only nods. Sha Lin digs his phone out.

“Great! I know an awesome place that does Mexican. I’ll text you the details, just put your number on my phone.”

Lex does so, aware that his expression may have come off as slightly serious. Still, the corner of Sha Lin’s mouth quirks and he gives a quick ‘See you tonight.’ before walking away to actually do his job. Lex absentmindedly wondered if Fernando is smiling somewhere, knowingly wingmanning Lex from out of sight.


	3. HOT DATE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> burrito esports reference since im tacky and i like 2 laff

Sha Lin said to dress smart casual, so Lex decides on a simple collared shirt that hides his gun, as well as chinos with pockets big enough for his badge and cuffs, leaving the hair gel sitting on the bathroom counter.  _‘I’m not nervous.´_  He thought to himself.  _‘I’m simply…anticipatory.’_

He continues his mantra as he drives to the restaurant, passing by various shops. One flowery sign catches his eye.  _‘Surging with flowers’_ , it reads, and he quickly pulls over. A bell above him tinkles merrily when he pushes the door open. The inside looks more like an overgrown garden, with flowers spilling over shelves and hanging pots, some still planted in rich, dark soil. Despite being close to night-time, the shopkeeper only grins toothily at him, lip piercings and all. “Hi! Can I help ya?”

At first, he opens his mouth to ask where the roses were (for isn’t that what people traditionally gift to their dates?), then Fernando’s face flashes through his mind, stalk clenched in teeth. Maybe not roses, he thinks. “How do I say I love someone, but subtly?” He asks.

The florists disappears in the overgrowth for a moment, then reappears with a pot of red and white flowers blooming on long stems. “Orchids! Very fancy, but very small. Single stem or lots?”

He settles on a singular one, with several blossoms on it, and soon it is wrapped in creamy paper and handed to him with a glossy ribbon. Lex still has no idea if this was Sha Lin’s preferred flowers, or even if he likes flowers at all. That is something Lex hopes to remedy in the future.

He walks briskly into the restaurant ten minutes to seven. He glances around the reception area, taking in the honeyed lights and light chatter from the patrons, none of them being Sha Lin. Cradling the flower in one arm, Lex quickly texts him,  _I arrived early. Should I wait at the front of the restaurant?_

He gets a reply a minute later.  _i already reserved a table under my name : - ) sit down ill b there soon._

Lex does so, following the waitress to a closed booth and sliding into the seat. He thanks the waitress as she fills the two glasses with water, and she promises to return when his date arrives. He settles into his seat, laying the bouquet on his side so only he can see it. Still, there’s some time before their agreed time, so Lex leans back, content to waiting it out.

Five minutes pass. Sha Lin is not here. Lex tries to keep the frown from his face as he checks his phone. No new messages since his last one. He considers texting Sha Lin, then decides against it, taking a gulp of his water.

His wristwatch strikes ten minutes past seven. His fingers tap a nervous staccato rhythm against the clothed table. The waitress passes, her face carefully set in a polite smile, but her eyes still sweep over the empty seat opposite of Lex.

Finally, when Lex has waited a total of fifteen minutes after their agreed time, Lex risks another text.

_It is 7:15. Are you having problems reaching the restaurant?_

It sounds a tad formal, but Lex doesn’t want to sound accusatory. He has to wait another five minutes before his phone buzzes.

_sorry! ran into some trouble on the way there. will arrive soon in 5 mins tops._

But just as Lex finishes reading it, a scream pierces the air. His and everyone’s heads snaps to the windows, just in time to see people running past. An unnatural quake shake tables and dinnerware, sending some of the patrons diving underneath cover. Lex rushes outside just in time to see an explosion a few blocks away, at the base of an observation tower. It only takes him a moment to decide, then he is pulling out his phone and ringing Sha Lin as he dashes down the road.

After a few rings voice mail greets him.  _“Hi! This is Sha Lin. Leave your message and I’ll get back you soon.”_

“It’s Lex. There’s an emergency downtown. I’m afraid I would have to cancel our date.” He says. “Go home. I’ll call you when it’s safe.” He hangs up, racing ever closer to the rubble of the observation tower entrance. 

* * *

His ‘meddling’ - as put by the instigator of the explosion, a mad scientist that was a  _fox of all things, really, what has the world come to_  – leads him to being stranded on top of the observational tower in the revolving restaurant, with the power gone and the criminal of the night escaping on one of his inventions. Lex had already accepted the situation and is sitting down forlornly at one of the tables, unlike the only other individual in the room, who was busy pacing back and forth, all the while glancing where he saw the lab-coat wearing fox was last.

“I can’t believe he got away!” The Desert Wind rages. “Can you believe it? Because I don’t!”

Lex stays quiet, hand on chin as he stares out the window and onto the city lights below. He wonders if Sha Lin is one of those lights, worrying himself sick as he tries again and again to call Lex’s phone, which was unfortunately destroyed in the showdown, much like a majority of the furniture of the revolving restaurant. The power generator, too, is destroyed, leaving them both in the dark, save for the glow of the city.

Luckily, over a radio that was most likely dropped from the security’s belt, his colleagues were quick to assure them that there is still enough oxygen in the room to last until emergency services could clear the gelatinous putty from the emergency stairs, or restore power to the lone elevator, whichever happened first. All they have to do was wait – something which the Desert Wind didn’t seem fond of.

“If only I had the Arrowmobile…” He moans, before Lex finally turns to the superhero.

“There’s not much we can do apart from sit and wait, so, if you please,  _sit and wait before I make you._ ”

It’s against his own etiquette speak to civilians and supers as such, but Lex had a long, disappointing day, and there is a migraine forming behind his temples.

The vigilante goes silent, eyebrows rocketing above his mask, then thankfully plants himself into the seat opposite of Lex. The off-duty police officer turns back to the window. A second later however, he hears the scape of cutlery on expensive china.

He whips back just in time to see the Desert Wind shove a forkful of untouched  _suizoi_ burrito into his mouth. “…what?” The vigilante asks.

“Seriously?” Lex asks, disbelieving. “How can you eat at a time like this?”

“With a fork?”

Lex holds his head in one hand, the feeling of incredulousness warring with the urge to snort at the joke. The Desert Wind gestures over to the covered plate with his fork. “You should eat something too, to keep your energy up.”

The pang of hunger betrays Lex, but he at least takes a moment to pretend he won’t act so unprofessionally. “I’m not going to potentially disturb the evidence from the crime scene.”

“I am and you’re not telling me off.”

“Don’t act too comfortably, there’s still some scolding in me.” It really is, but there’s no bite to his words. Funny, how fast they seemed to move on from the fact that the mad scientist still escaped by the hair of his tail. “But funnily enough, you seem to be taking this whole situation well.”

The superhero shrugged. “Actually I’m still kind of mad. But we’re stuck here, there’s some food in front of me, and I’m hungry because I was going to eat out tonight. Plus, I could be stuck with worse people.” At the last sentence, he sends a grin at Lex.

He’s right, if Lex is being honest with himself. He could be stuck outside the building instead of inside. Still, his mind keeps returning to his cancelled date, especially now, looking at the vigilante’s masked face but easy-going smile, and he can’t help but wonder what would his night have been like if there was no attack in the first place.

In fact, if the other wasn’t wearing a mask, and the stairs weren’t blocked, this…thing could’ve been easily mistakened for a date, with the food and the sights and the other man who is currently finishing the last of his ‘evidence’.  _‘Does this count as a date?_ ’ The thought makes Lex’s eyes narrow.

The superhero only tilts his head confusedly when he notices Lex’s expression, but Lex only mutters, “It’s nothing.” Silence follows his words, and they drink it in.

They stay like that until the lights flicker back on, and the radio crackles to life, informing that it was safe to use the elevators now, effectively breaking the spell.


	4. steamed hams but it's with lex and shalin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one was written more recently, so thats the end of my posting chapters at the speed of light. future chapters might take longer BUT HOPEFULLY not to long. thanks for reading!

Overall, Lex considers the previous night a bust. No villain caught, no phone, and no date. Luckily, he is allowed a few day’s leave to recover from the ‘trauma’ of being trapped on top of an eyetower (and not for the ‘being trapped with a superhero’ part. In fact, once Lex was on the ground floor, some of his co-workers asked if he managed to get a signature from the one and only Desert Wind. He told them to get it themselves.)

Lex prioritises his newfound freedom: get a new phone, and apologise to Sha Lin. He manages the former fine, but it’s the latter that’s proving a problem, because his phone number was destroyed along with the phone. He enters his usual haunt late morning, slightly disoriented by the differences a few hours of sunlight could make – now that there’s more light, he can actually _see_ the nameplates of the art pieces and their prices, and there’s a lot more people sitting down to eat rather than grabbing a coffee and scurrying away to their shift (something which Lex was guilty of many times). As he sits down, someone else other than Sha Lin spots him and makes a beeline for him.

“Ying?” Lex says confusedly.

She’s wearing her scrubs and holding a large coffee with scribbles for extra shots of caffeine. Lex recognises as a double shift day, and he quietly empathises with her. She still manages a sunny smile when she reaches him. “Lex! I’m glad I caught you on my break. I’m really sorry to hear what happened last night, with the whole date thing.”

“Did Sha Lin tell you about it?”

She nodded. “Yeah. If it’s anything, he was really worried about you and he’s sorry that he couldn’t turn up on time.”

“And I’m sorry for cancelling. But that’s in the past.” Lex shrugs, then pauses. “Oh, have you seen Sha Lin around? I got a new phone and I was hoping to tell him such.”

“He’s got a day off today, but I can give you his number.”

“He won’t mind?”

“I’m his roommate. Besides, he kept trying to reach you all of yesterday night.”

Lex feels a pang of guilt at that, even though losing his phone wasn’t technically his fault. Ying writes Sha Lin’s number on a napkin in her flowery writing, as well as her own, before she bids his farewell and leaves for her second shift. Lex wastes no time dialing it.

After a few rings, a slightly out of breath Sha Lin picks up. _“Hello?”_

“Good morning Sha Lin. It’s Lex.”

“ _Hey Lex! What’s up?”_ There’s the sound of what suspiciously sounds like a car crashing in the background.

“I think I should be asking you that. Is now a bad time?”

“ _Uhhhhhh,”_ Sha Lin drags out. _“Sort of? Can I call you back?”_

“Absolutely. But before you go-”

Sha Lin doesn’t answer, however, someone else in the background does. _“Are you really calling someone else in the middle of our fight?”_

Lex frowns. “What’s going on Sha Lin?”

Sha Lin hurriedly replies, _“TV! It’s the TV! I’m watching TV in the background!”_

“ _HOW DARE YOU TALK TO SOMEONE ON THE PHONE WHILE I’M RIGHT HERE!”_

Lex raises an eyebrow. “Because that really sounds like someone on TV, and not someone who is answering in real time.”

Sha Lin’s reply is lost in the battle cry from the not-TV-person. Lex still manages to catch the tail end of it:

“ _-gotta go, call you later!”_

Click.

Lex stares at his phone with a frown. He recognises the roar, had it screamed at him by a human whirlwind while he tried to dodge a flurry of blades. What was famed supervillain ‘The Tyrant’ doing there?

…poor Sha Lin, getting caught in other supers’ fights.

His phone rings ten minutes later. He wastes no time answering it with “Sha Lin? What that racket about?”

“ _I was...walking by a superhero fight.”_

“Didn’t you tell me you were watching the TV?”

“ _I walked by an electronics store and they were fighting near that.”_

There was a crash over on Sha Lin’s end.

“What is happening over there?”

“ _Aurora Borealis.”_ Sha Lin answered quickly.

Lex rubbed his temples. “Aurora Borealis, at this time of day, at this time of year, in this part of the country, localised entirely within your area.”

“ _Yes.”_

“…can I come and see you at least?”

“ _No.”_ Sha Lin answers a tad too quickly. _“But it’s probably easier if I come to you instead.”_

A bit strange, but Lex conceeds. He misses Sha Lin too. “Alright. How long will you take?”

“ _Fifteen, give or take a few minutes-”_ Another crash. _“...make that twenty.”_ Lex doesn’t know if it was a flat answer or not, and he wasn’t given a chance since Sha Lin continues on as if nothing happened. _“Where are you?”_

Lex tells him that he was at Sha Lin’s workplace (and avoids using ‘our cafe’ in his head. For now, at least), and agrees to wait. Unlike last time, he didn’t have to wait for long – Sha Lin appears a few minutes later, looking surprisingly better than what Lex had been fearing. Lex voices it.

“You look good for someone who narrowly missed a scuffle with the Tyrant.”

Sha lin scratches the back of his head. “Thanks! Call me lucky.” He plopped himself onto the seat and leaned his chin in his hands at Lex. “Rough morning?”

“In comparison to yours, mine seems to be a walk in the park. Are you sure you don’t want to go to a medical professional?”

Sha Lin raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t get hit though.”

“I’m not talking about injuries. Are you feeling alright? Do you…want to talk to someone?”

“What are talking about- oh!” Sha Lin lets an easy smile. Lex felt himself flush ever so slightly. “Oh, that’s real nice of you Lex but really, I’m fine. After all, I’m not the cop who faces them on a regular basis.”

Lex tips his head. “Fair point.”

“Doesn’t it get real tiring sometimes? Cleaning up after supers’ messes?”

“I deal with it.” Lex said neutrally enough. The early morning and the light mood is a too strong deterrent for that topic anyway. “But I would rather not talk about that right now.”

“Alright, how about something juicy instead? Like…is the Desert Wind’s bow actually real or nah?”

Lex rolls his eyes good-naturedly. “I don’t kiss and tell.”

“Oh ho! Even better. He took you on a hot date at the top of the observation tower?”

“I’d hardly call it one.”

“Why not? Did he turn out to be one of those fedora types?”

“Not really. But I highly doubt that the vigilante was trying to hit on me. He was most likely being friendly by looking after my well-being whilst we were in that tower.”

Sha Lin raises an eyebrow. “And being friendly involved having dinner?”

“I have dinner with acquaintances all the time.” Lex says, a touch defensive. Granted, most of those outings did not usually villain occurrences. “Besides, I didn’t want to consider it as a date because I’m already dating you.”

Sha Lin blinks at him, and said in a rather small voice, “Oh.”

“And, also, it was circumstantial, not planned. I would rather have what we’re doing right now.”

Another small, “Oh.”, and then Sha Lin is flushing, eyes averting but a smile on his face regardless. “Did they teach smooth classes at the academy too?”

“...not to my knowledge, no.” Lex says, a little puzzled. Sha Lin waves it away with a quick shake of his head and a chuckle.

“Don’t worry about it.”

And so, Lex whole-heartedly puts it at the backburner for now, instead choosing on the more pleasant things, like the light reflecting off the cafe’s mosaic windchimes, and curve of Sha Lin’s smile. So much, that by the time they were finished (with the promise of another date sometime soon), Lex realises as he waves Sha Lin goodbye that he never mentioned anything about food to Sha Lin.


End file.
